Striker Xuan Son: 'Scoring goals is my duty'

Forward Nguyen Xuan Son said he was pleased with Vietnam's debut in the ASEAN Cup 2026, and stressed that finding the net is always the duty of a forward, complimenting his teammates after the 7-0 win against Timor Leste.

Sharing after the match, Xuan Son emphasized that the victory on the opening day was crucial for Vietnam's journey in the tournament.

"I am happy that Vietnam won three points. We started the ASEAN Cup 2026 campaign smoothly. The first win plays a key role.

I am also happy that I scored. Scoring is my task in every match. Sometimes I don't score as many as expected, but I always push myself to work hard. In the next match, I will definitely try to do even better. That's my job."

Not only talking about his own goal, the naturalized striker also praised his teammates' performance. According to Xuan Son, the chemistry and intelligent handling of the players around him gave him more space and conditions to utilize his strengths in attack.

"Everything becomes very easy when playing alongside intelligent players. Today, Dinh Bac and Hoang Hen played very well. Everyone performed excellently for the common goal. As I always say, as long as Vietnam wins and I score to help the team aim for the championship, that's the best thing.

Against Timor Leste, not only the attack played well but also the defense. The teammates maintained concentration to keep a clean sheet. Now I am thinking about the matches against Singapore and Indonesia."

The victory over Timor Leste gave Vietnam a favorable start at the ASEAN Cup 2026, while also building positive momentum ahead of two important clashes with Singapore and Indonesia.

For Xuan Son personally, the goal in the opener is motivation for him to continue aiming to contribute more to the team on the journey to conquer the championship.

According to the plan, the Vietnam national team will return home on an afternoon flight on July 25. Coach Kim Sang Sik and his players will have seven days to prepare for the home match against Singapore at My Dinh National Stadium.